DATE=6/26/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251141
TITLE=ZAMBIA / TALKS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JOHN PITMAN
DATELINE=LUSAKA, ZAMBIA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ZAMBIAN PRESIDENT FREDERICK CHILUBA SAYS TALKS AIMED AT
SECURING A CEASE-FIRE IN CONGO-KINSHASHA WILL REQUIRE MORE TIME.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS SATURDAY, MR. CHILUBA SAID THE TALKS ARE
GOING SMOOTHLY, BUT HAVE NOT YET PRODUCED AN AGREEMENT. HE
SAYS THE SIGNING CEREMONY SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY HAS BEEN
POSTPONED UNTIL AN AGREEMENT IS REACHED. V-O-A'S JOHN PITMAN HAS
DETAILS FROM THE ZAMBIAN CAPITAL, LUSAKA.
TEXT: IN A BRIEF NEWS CONFERENCE (ON SATURDAY), PRESIDENT
CHILUBA SAID HE REMAINS CONFIDENT THE CEASE-FIRE TALKS UNDERWAY
HERE IN LUSAKA WILL PRODUCE A WORKABLE AGREEMENT. HOWEVER, HE
SAYS TECHNICAL EXPERTS FROM THE WARRING SIDES DID NOT COMPLETE
THEIR WORK IN TIME FOR A PEACE SUMMIT THAT WAS TO HAVE BEEN HELD
ON SATURDAY.
MR. CHILUBA SAYS THE TECHNICAL EXPERTS WILL CONTINUE THEIR TALKS
BEFORE HANDING THE CEASE-FIRE DOCUMENTS OVER TO REGIONAL FOREIGN
AND DEFENSE MINISTERS FOR FINAL CONSULTATIONS. SEVERAL OF THE
MINISTERIAL-LEVEL DELEGATIONS HAVE ALREADY ARRIVED IN ZAMBIA, BUT
IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHEN THEY MIGHT BEGIN THEIR WORK.
MR. CHILUBA DID NOT OFFER ANY DETAILS ABOUT WHEN HEADS OF STATE
WOULD COME TO ZAMBIA FOR A SIGNING CEREMONY, BUT HE SAYS IT IS
POSSIBLE THE (FOREIGN AND DEFENSE) MINISTERS COULD START THEIR
TALKS AS EARLY AS SATURDAY NIGHT.
/// CHILUBA ACT ///
THE OFFICIALS' MEETING IS PROCEEDING EXTREMELY WELL AND
HOPING TO END TODAY. MINISTERS WILL TAKE OVER. WHEN
THEY DO FINISH, THAT IS WHEN THE SUMMIT IS GOING TO BE
ON. SO I CAN'T TELL YOU THIS MORNING OR THIS AFTERNOON,
BUT THIS WILL DEPEND ON WHAT OUR MINISTERS ARE GOING TO
DO.
/// END ACT ///
MR. CHILUBA'S ANNOUNCEMENT CAME AS NEGOTIATORS STRUGGLED TO AGREE
ON SEVERAL FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES, SUCH AS THE STATUS OF FOREIGN
TROOPS IN CONGO AFTER A CEASE-FIRE, AND THE POSSIBLE DEPLOYMENT
OF INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPERS.
// OPT // PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA HAS DEMANDED THE IMMEDIATE
WITHDRAWAL OF ALL FOREIGN TROOPS BACKING THE REBELLION. HOWEVER,
THE REBELS' MAIN SUPPORTERS, RWANDA AND UGANDA, HAVE ARGUED FOR A
SIMULTANEOUS WITHDRAWAL OF THEIR TROOPS AND THE ZIMBABWEAN,
ANGOLAN AND NAMIBIAN SOLDIERS WHO ARE BACKING MR. KABILA. // END
OPT //
SOURCES CLOSE TO THE TALKS SAY NEGOTIATORS WERE ALSO HELD UP BY
INTERNAL DIVISIONS AMONG THE REBELS, WHO ARE SPLIT INTO THREE
FACTIONS.
// OPT // THERE IS ALSO GROWING CONCERN THAT CONTINUED FIGHTING
NEAR THE CONGOLESES CITY OF MBUJI-MAYI COULD COMPLICATE THE
TALKS. MBUJI-MAYI IS THE CAPITAL OF CONGO'S DIAMOND-PRODUCING
REGION, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR MOST OF THE KINSHASA GOVERNMENT'S
REVENUE. THE REBELS SAY THEIR FORCES ARE WITHIN 100 KILOMETERS
OF THE CITY, WHICH HAS BEEN HEAVILY REINFORCED IN RECENT DAYS BY
MR. KABILA'S ALLIES. // END OPT //
STILL, DESPITE AN INCREASING FLOW OF REPORTS SUGGESTING THE TALKS
MAY NOT BE PROCEEDING AS SMOOTHLY AS ANTICIPATED, ZAMBIAN
OFFICIALS AND OTHERS INSIST THE NEGOTIATORS ARE MAKING PROGRESS.
SALIM AHMED SALIM, THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE 0RGANIZATION OF
AFRICAN UNITY, DOWN-PLAYED THE DECISION TO POSTPONE SATURDAY'S
SUMMIT. SPEAKING AFTER MR. CHILUBA, HE SAID THE JUNE 26TH DATE
WAS MORE OF A GUIDELINE THAN A DEADLINE, AND THAT THERE IS NO
POINT IN HAVING THE HEADS OF STATE COME TO LUSAKA UNTIL AN
AGREEMENT HAS BEEN FINALIZED.
/// SALIM ACT ///
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY NEGOTIATING. FOR THE FIRST
TIME SINCE THIS CRISIS BEGAN, WE HAVE ALL THE PARTIES
INVOLVED IN THE NEGOTIATIONS. THEY'VE BEEN DISCUSSING
IN THE DAYTIME, THEY'VE BEEN DISCUSSING AT NIGHT. AND
CLEARLY, IN A CONFLICT LIKE THIS, YOU DON'T EXPECT THAT
ALL OF A SUDDEN, EVERYTHING WILL BE SOLVED.
/// END ACT ///
WHEN ASKED WHEN HE THOUGHT THE FINAL SUMMIT AND SIGNING CEREMONY
MIGHT BE HELD, MR. SALIM SAID IT COULD BE SEVERAL DAYS AWAY.
(SIGNED)
NEB/JP/ALW/WTW
26-Jun-99 11:01 AM EDT (1501 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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